Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are widely used in a variety of industries and in virtually all but the simplest electronic devices. Computers, phones, mobile devices, antenna systems, vehicles, gaming systems, and indeed, a broad array of consumer electronics, and the like, are but a few examples of things that commonly include or otherwise rely on circuit boards.
PCBs conventionally include different conductive and non-conductive or insulating dielectric layers. The conductive layers can be etched into a pattern of tracks or signal traces. The insulating dielectric layers can separate the conductive layers, and in addition, provide a substrate for the pattern etch. Multi-layer circuit boards can have trace layers inside the PCB. Through-holes or vias can be formed to connect the different layers. Separately etched boards can be bonded together to make a multi-layer board. Surface mount components are disposed on either an upper or lower surface, or both, and connected one to another using the traces or vias between the layers.
While PCBs are commonplace today, technical challenges remain for improving signal quality and robustness of the boards. Electromagnetic noise can interfere with signals transmitted between PCB layers and/or components. Noise from external sources can also impact the PCB components, traces, and the like. Such unwanted interference, irrespective of its source, can diminish the quality and accuracy of signals, thereby introducing errors into the signals, or otherwise hindering the performance of the PCB and associated components. Efforts to boost signal performance can also lead to higher and unnecessary power consumption by the circuit components, which can cause additional amounts of noise.
Moreover, using conventional techniques, many of the technical aspects of the PCB board must be designed before layup. For instance, connections and chip types must be known or specified before layup so that the specific layout pattern, through-holes, and layer architecture of the PCB conform to the pre-specified design. Through-holes, vias, and connection types are specified before or during layup, and before lamination. Insulation for the vias is built-in to the PCB layers themselves. These approaches are inflexible in their design because subsequent changes to the via structure or layout pattern after layup is difficult or impossible. These types of problems especially manifest themselves during the development and testing phases of board design.
Accordingly, a need remains for a noise dampening energy efficient circuit board for reducing unwanted electromagnetic interference between layers and components of PCBs, and improved methods for constructing and using PCBs. In addition, a need remains for improving the power and energy efficiencies of PCBs. Embodiments of the invention address these and other limitations in the prior art.
The foregoing and other features of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.